Certain tacky materials, such as polymers, are water-washable and useful as cleaning implements. A tacky material, such as a polymer, can be used to clean a surface and collect debris. After cleaning is complete, the material is washed with soap and water and once the material is dry, the tackiness of the material is regenerated. Such cleaning implements are described by Amos, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,690. Tacky materials are also known for use in combination with a non-woven as a cleaning tool. O'Neill et al., WO2004028332A1, describes use of a regenerable cleaning device, wherein an adhesive polymer is coated or incorporated onto a cleaning pad. The pad can be “recharged” by spraying a new coat of adhesive material on the pad.
Tacky polymer materials are also used as adhesives and coating materials for a variety of applications, including manufacturing plaster bandages, wound coverings, catheters, hygienic packaging materials, for coating the aforementioned materials as well as for coating components of technical medical devices. For example, Svenningsen et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,309 describes bonding substrates together for use in a non-woven disposable article. Also, Capelli et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,601 describes bonding a substrate to a skin surface for use in a wound dressing. The tacky materials are often attached to wovens or non-wovens in these applications.
Incorporation of an antimicrobial active in a tacky polymer has been described for use in applications related to adhesives and coating materials. The purpose of the antimicrobial active is to inhibit the growth of microorganisms on the adhesive or coating itself and to inhibit growth between two substrates bonded together by an adhesive.
The present invention provides a novel method of cleaning and sanitizing a surface, preferably an inanimate surface. One aspect of the present invention is directed to a cleaning implement including an antibacterial agent. The cleaning implement includes a tacky polymer material used to collect debris. In yet another aspect, the tacky polymer properties and the antimicrobial properties of the cleaning implement are regenerable upon contact with a cleansing agent, such as water.
These and other aspects will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.